In pictures: Tullamore Farm heifer sale preview - lots 800-814

Tullamore Farm will hold its annual draft heifer sale on Wednesday 21 October in Central Auctions, Roscrea, Co Tipperary.

The sale will include 25 in-calf heifers and five maiden heifers. All heifers are genotyped four- and five-star on the replacement index and are eligible for the BDGP scheme.

The majority of the heifers are by AI sires QCD, ZAG, Biouvac, Curaheen Earp and Dereen Declan. Heifers are in calf to EBY, ULSAN, LM2014 and the Salers stock bull on Tullamore Farm and are due to calve.

The average replacement index of the group is €132. The breeding programme on the farm is centered around having a good functional R grade cow that is capable of producing good R or U grade progeny.

Forage-fed and vaccinated

The heifers are all spring 2019-born and have been managed on a forage-based diet for the duration of their lifetime.

Heifers have received no concentrates since turnout. Heifers are all vaccinated against BVD and lepto and all have been scanned in-calf to AI or natural service dates.

Commenting on the heifers, Tullamore Farm manager Shaun Diver said: “Personally, I think this year’s heifers are the best we have had so far. There is a lot more AI-bred heifers in this year’s batch and I think that’s showing.

We feel that these animals have the potential to go on and be profitable on the next farm

"We aren’t into breeding 900kg heifers calving at three or four years old, we are looking to produce a mid-sized animal to calve at two years old with as much AI breeding as possible.

"We feel that these animals have the potential to go on and be profitable on the next farm. Speaking to last year’s customers, they are very happy with the heifers."

Sale details

The sale will start at 7.30pm with ringside bidding and online bidding available via the Irish Farmers Journal Martbids app on the night.

Prospective purchasers are advised to register for online biding on www.martbids.ie and apply for permission to bid in Roscrea Mart.

The mart has asked that this is completed by Monday 19 October to make sure that farmers are granted permission to bid online on the night. For bidding enquiries, contact Roscrea Mart on 050-521 687.

Catalogues are available. If you email awoods@farmersjournal.ie, we will be able to email you a catalogue or text 087-121 8734 and the catalogue can be sent via WhatsApp.

Further details on the sale will be in next week’s Irish Farmers Journal and keep an eye on www.farmersjournal.ie for videos of the heifers in the coming days.

For enquiries about the heifers, contact Tullamore Farm manager Shaun Diver on 087-217 5486.